Topics
1) What carers rights are now
2) Caring and poverty
3) What rights do we need for the future
Topic 1} What Carers rights are now
Carers at the time of writing this only have minima l rights and most don’t know what those rights are, they are certainly not to do with any decisions on their loved ones health or their finances.
From all I understand as someone who is a carer and also a cared for the rights of a carer isn't publicized as much as rights for pubs to serve alcohol or even shops to sell tobacco which shouldn't be the case
Unpaid carers are less likely to be praised or valued for the time and effort than people who do it as a job, I think people forget we don’t choose this as work . We are put in this position through love for the ones we care for and can also lead down the path of poverty.
Topic 2} Caring and poverty
The one big problem for unpaid carers, Is there is not the financial aid out there to support their family they have an allowance of 70-80 pound a month for what is essentially a 24h hours a day 7 days a week job and that is just enough for them to get shopping, especially if the carer has no opportunity to work.
The Government say that carers allowance is only this much as a thank you for saving them money but for most this isn’t enough to support their families.
More needs to be done to support carers in poverty especially those who dedicate 24 hours a day to care for loved ones and cant get out to work.
Topic 3} What rights do we need?
Top 3 rights I feel need to be put in place:
1) The Right to live without poverty
2) The Right to speak on behalf of cared for without any power of attorney (LPA)
3) The Right to not have to fight for support for loved ones e.g. Doctors, hospitals, care sector.
Conclusions
I hope this blog has been insightful for you all and have a great carers rights day on November 23rd
Thanks for Reading
Martin Morgan
Carer and cared for
Top 3 rights I feel need to be put in place:
1)